Injury Cuts Arctic Trip Short

Tue., June 13, 2000

Two stranded French adventurers were plucked from the Arctic ice by a helicopter just 60 miles short of completing a three-month trek from Russia to Canada via the North Pole.

Arnaud Tortel, 30, and Rodolphe Andre, 28, got into trouble Tuesday when Tortel fell into a crevasse and injured his leg and ribs. The helicopter collected the adventurers from the ice about 80 miles off the coast of North Ellesmere Island.

The injury and long wait for help ended the trip, the men said Sunday, safe in Resolute Bay, 1,560 miles northeast of Edmonton.

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Injury Cuts Arctic Trip Short

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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